Table for x-ray examination

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to table for X-ray examination, comprising a tabletop supported by a frame, on which a person to be examined can lie in a horizontal position of the tabletop. An image recording element, which is movable in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the tabletop, is connected to the tabletop. The tabletop is vertically adjustable with respect to the frame and pivotable through an angle of ±90° about a pivot pin extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tabletop.

[0001] The invention relates to a table for X-ray examination, comprising a tabletop supported by a frame, on which a person to be examined can lie in a horizontal position of the tabletop, whilst an image recording element, which is movable in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the tabletop, is connected to the tabletop, wherein the tabletop is vertically adjustable with respect to the frame and pivotable through an angle of ±90° about a pivot pin extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tabletop.

[0002] X-ray examination tables that have been usual so far are generally used in combination with an image recording element in the form of a cassette containing a photosensitive plate, by means of which an X-ray photo is made of at least a part of a person who is being irradiated by means of an X-ray source. Such an X-ray source is usually suspended from the ceiling or the like, and it can be moved both in vertical and in horizontal direction with respect to the table.

[0003] In addition to that, devices are known which comprise a frame, along which an image recording element containing a photosensitive plate can be moved in vertical direction in order to make X-ray photos of a person in standing position. Such X-ray photos need to be developed, so that generally it takes some time before the results of the examination are known.

[0004] Recently, recording elements in the form of detectors have been developed, which are capable of transmitting the X-ray images directly to a viewing screen, so that the result of the X-ray examination is directly visible.

[0005] Such image recording elements are costly, however, so that an optimum use of such an element must be realised.

[0006] From U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,378 there is known a table of the above kind, wherein the image recording element can only be adjusted to a position in which it extends parallel to the tabletop.

[0007] According to the invention, the image recording element is adjustable between a position in which the image recording element extends approximately perpendicularly to an imaginary plane comprising the upper side of the tabletop, and a position in which the image recording element extends substantially parallel to said imaginary plane.

[0008] By using the construction according to the invention, a device of simple design having a wide range of applications is obtained. By means of a single image recording element it is possible not only to obtain X-ray images both of a person in standing position and of a person in reclined position, but also, in the horizontal position of the image recording element, to produce X-ray images of parts of the body being placed on the image recording element, such as a hand, for example.

[0009] A further extension of the range of applications of the table is obtained in that the image recording element is movable from one side of the tabletop to the other, in a direction transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tabletop.

[0010] The invention will now be explained in more detail by means of an embodiment of a table according to the invention as shown in the accompanying figures.

[0011]FIG. 1 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section, of a table according to the invention, wherein the tabletop is shown in a vertical position thereof.

[0012]FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1.

[0013]FIG. 3 is a side elevation substantially corresponding to FIG. 2, wherein the Image recording element is represented in various adjusted positions thereof.

[0014]FIG. 4 is a view, partially in section and partially in front elevation, of the table according to the invention, wherein the tabletop is shown in a horizontal position thereof.

[0015]FIGS. 5 and 6 are larger-scale cross-sectional views of FIG. 4, wherein the image recording element is shown in various positions thereof.

[0016]FIGS. 7 and 8 show further possible adjusted positions of the image recording element.

[0017] The device which is shown in the figures comprises a tabletop 1 which transmits X-rays, which tabletop is supported by two beams 2, 3 extending in the longitudinal direction of the tabletop, which are disposed near the sides of the tabletop (FIG. 5), along which beams the tabletop 1 is movable in longitudinal direction, that is, parallel to its longitudinal axis, to the left and to the right in FIG. 4, as is indicated by means of dotted lines drawn in line with tabletop 1 in FIG. 4.

[0018] The ends of the frame beams 2 and 3 are connected to cross beams 5, 6, which are disposed near the ends of the tabletop, seen in FIG. 4, which cross beams are movable in a direction transversely to the longitudinal direction of the tabletop with respect to a frame member 7 supporting the tabletop, as is indicated with position 2′ of beam 2 and position 3′ of beam 3 in FIG. 5.

[0019] Frame member 7 is connected to one end of a support 9 by means of a pivot pin 8 which extends horizontally and transversely to the longitudinal direction of tabletop 1.

[0020] Connected to support 9, by means of pivots 10 and 11 disposed near pivot pin 8 and extending parallel thereto, are the ends of two arms 12 and 13, with arm 13 only being indicated by means of a chain-dotted line. The ends of the arms 12 and 13 remote from pivots 10 and 11 are connected to a connecting piece 16 by means of pivots 14 and 15, respectively, extending parallel to pivots 10 and 11, all this in such a manner that arms 12 and 13 and the associated pivots 10, 11 and 14, 15 form a parallelogram construction.

[0021] Furthermore connected to connecting piece 16 are the ends of two arms 17 and 18, with arm 17 being pivotally connected to connecting piece 16 by means of pivot 14 and arm 13 being connected to connecting piece 16 by means of a pivot 19 which extends parallel to pivot 14. Like arm 13, arm 17 is indicated by means of chain-dotted lines.

[0022] In FIG. 1, arms 17 and 18 extend downwards from connecting piece 16 in a direction away from arms 12 and 13, which extend upwards from connecting piece 16.

[0023] The lower ends of arms 17 and 18, seen in FIG. 1, are pivotally connected, by means of two parallel pivots 21 and 22, to a frame 20 of the device, which is disposed on the floor, all this in such a manner that also the arms 17 and 18 and the associated pivots 14, 19, 21 and 22 form a parallelogram construction.

[0024] Connected to arm 18, by means of a pivot 23 extending parallel to pivots 22 and 19, is the end of a setting cylinder 24. The other end of setting cylinder 24 is connected to frame 20 by means of a pivot 25 extending parallel to pivot 23.

[0025] As is furthermore shown in FIG. 1, the arms 18 and 12 are interconnected by means of a gears 26 and 27, respectively, which are mounted on pivots 14 and 19.

[0026] As is furthermore illustrated in a chain-dotted line 26 in FIG. 1, an adjusting element 26, for example a setting cylinder or the like, is mounted between the frame member 7 supporting tabletop 1 and support 9. After being unlocked, frame member 7 can be pivoted from the position which is shown in FIG. 1, in which the tabletop 1 occupies a vertical position and is locked in position for use of the device, through an angle of ±90° go about pivot 8, as is indicated by arrow A, by means of said adjusting element 26 in order to move the tabletop 1 to a horizontal position. The tabletop that has been moved to a horizontal position can be moved upwards and downwards by means of setting cylinder 24, by pivoting of the above-described, interconnected parallelogram mechanisms, with a lowermost position of tabletop 1 being illustrated in FIG. 4. In this position a person to be examined can easily position himself on the tabletop, whilst the tabletop can be moved upwards in its horizontal position in order to bring the person within easier reach of the operating staff. The tabletop can also be disposed in a slightly inclined position by pivoting about pivot 8, as is indicated by means of dotted line 1 in FIG. 4.

[0027] As will furthermore be apparent from FIGS. 1 and 4, the above-described mechanism for moving the tabletop upwards and downwards can be screened by a number of tubular members 28, which can telescope with respect to each other.

[0028] Frame member 7 comprises a frame beam 7′ extending in the longitudinal direction of the tabletop, along which a sliding member or trolley 29 (FIG. 5) is movable, for example by means of a chain drive. Connected to sliding member 29 is a support or I-beam 30 extending under the tabletop, transversely to the longitudinal direction thereof. A sliding member 31 is movable along said support 30. A connecting piece 32 is pivotally connected to sliding member 30 by means of a pivot 31′ extending vertically (seen in FIGS. 5 and 6) and thus perpendicularly to the tabletop 1. An arm 34 is pivotally connected to said connecting piece by means of a pivot 33 extending parallel to tabletop 1. A supporting member 35 is movable in the longitudinal direction of arm 34 with respect to said arm 34 by means of a grip 35′ and capable of being locked in several desired positions with respect to arm 34.

[0029] Supporting member 35 supports an image recording element 36 by means of wheels 37, all this in such a manner that the image recording element 36 is pivotable with respect to supporting member 35 and capable of being adjusted about a pivot 38 that crosses pivot 33 perpendicularly.

[0030] In the illustrated embodiment, image recording element 36 is a flat, box-like member, which houses sensors capable of detecting X-rays, which sensors transmit signals to the viewing screen or the like.

[0031] The actual recording surface 39 of image recording element 38, which is illustrated in dotted lines, for example in FIG. 2, is rectangular in shape and it is smaller than the outer circumference of the image recording element 36.

[0032] As is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the image recording element can be disposed in several positions 36′, 36″ under the tabletop for forming X-ray images of a person who is lying on the tabletop. In addition to that, the image recording element can also pulled out from its position under the table and be disposed in a vertical position, as is shown in FIG. 6. By moving the image recording element 36 in vertical direction, the recording surface 39 can be moved to a position in which the lower boundary line of said recording surface 39 is positioned at the same level as the upper side of tabletop 1, as is shown in FIG. 6, or in a higher position, in which the entire recording element 36 is disposed above the tabletop, as is indicated in FIG. 8.

[0033] Furthermore it is possible to dispose the recording element 36 in a horizontal position outside the tabletop, as is shown in FIG. 7. In this position of the image recording element it is possible to place parts of the body, for example a person's hands, on the image recording element 36 for making X-ray images.

[0034] As is apparent from FIGS. 1-3, in which several positions of one and the same image recording element 36 are shown either in dotted lines or in full lines, the image recording element 36 can be moved in vertical direction with respect to tabletop 1 in the vertical position of tabletop 1, whereby the image recording element 36 may be disposed behind or beside the tabletop, as will be apparent from FIGS. 1-3, and the possibilities of pivoting the image recording element 36 about pivots 31′ and 33 and the possibility to move the image recording element along support 30 in a direction transversely the longitudinal direction of tabletop 1 and in the longitudinal direction of arm 34 make it possible to position the image recording element 36 optimally with respect to the person to be examined. A further contribution to obtaining an optimum adjustment of the image recording element is obtained by the fact that the image recording element 36 is pivotable with respect to the supporting element 36 that is connected to the arm 34, about a pivot 38 extending perpendicularly to the recording surface 39 of the image recording element, so that also the recording surface 39, which is of rectangular section, can be adjusted to an optimum position. Also the possibility to move the tabletop 1 in two directions extending perpendicularly to each other contributes towards obtaining an optimum adjustment of the image recording element 36 with respect to the person to be examined.

[0035] From the foregoing it will be apparent that the device according to the invention makes it possible, using an image recording element 35, to obtain an X-ray image of each part of the body of a person to be examined with an optimum position of the person to be examined and the image recording element with respect to each other. 

1. A table for X-ray examination, comprising a tabletop supported by a frame, on which a person to be examined can lie in a horizontal position oft the tabletop, whilst an image recording element, which is movable in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the tabletop, is connected to the tabletop, wherein the tabletop is vertically adjustable with respect to the frame and pivotable through an angle of ±90° about a pivot pin extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tabletop, characterized in that the image recording element is adjustable between a position in which the image recording element extends approximately perpendicularly to an imaginary plane comprising the upper side of the tabletop, and a position in which the image recording element extends substantially parallel to said imaginary plane comprising the upper side of the tabletop.
 2. A table according to claim 1 , characterized in that the image recording element is movable from one side of the tabletop to the other, in a direction transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tabletop.
 3. A table according to claim 2 , characterized in that the image recording element can be moved under the tabletop.
 4. A table according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the image recording element is connected to a slide, which is movable along a support that extends under the tabletop, transversely to the longitudinal axis thereof, which support is movable in the longitudinal direction of the tabletop.
 5. A table according to claim 4 , characterized in that the image recording element is pivotable with respect to said slide about a pivot which extends at least substantially perpendicularly the tabletop.
 6. A table according to claim 4 or 5 , characterized in that the image recording element is pivotable with respect to said slide about a pivot extending parallel to the tabletop.
 7. A table according to claim 6 , characterized in that the image recording element is supported by an arm which is pivotable about the pivot that extends parallel to the tabletop, along which arm the image recording element is movable and adjustable in several positions.
 8. A table according to claim 7 , characterized in that the image recording element is pivotable with respect to the arm about a pivot extending perpendicularly to the recording surface of the image recording element.
 9. A table according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tabletop is adjustable in its longitudinal direction with respect to the frame.
 10. A table according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tabletop is adjustable in a direction transversely to its longitudinal direction. 